President’s award for C’galway school campaigner

By TOM GILMORE ONE of the main campaigners for the new second-level school being built under the auspices of the VEC in Claregalway, Dr Paddy Tobin, a lecturer in the National Centre for Excellence in Furniture Design and Technology at GMIT Letterfrack, is the recipient of the 2013 GMIT Presidentâ€â„¢s Award for Teaching Excellence. Dr Tobin, a native of Tourlestrane, Co Sligo, who has been living in Claregalway for many years, began teaching at GMIT Letterfrack in 1996.[private] He is currently programme chair on the B. Sc.(Hons) in Furniture Design and Manufacture and the B Sc (Hons) in Furniture and Wood Technology, and teaches Product Development, Project Management and Operations Management at GMIT. He has taught students at all stages of undergraduate and post-graduate programmes, and has delivered short courses to industry. Annually, he organises industrial placements abroad for 50 GMIT students. Apart from leading the campaign for securing the new secondary school in Claregalway, which will open in September, he has also helped establish a woodwork training centre in Zambia, Africa. He has also led the development of an on-going active collaboration with Virginia Tech University, USA, where he was appointed Adjunct Associate Professor in 2010. With GMIT he has been involved in many funded projects with Irish industry and his extensive contacts with industry generate many job opportunities for graduates. â€Å“I am truly delighted to receive the GMIT Presidentâ€â„¢s award. Itâ€â„¢s a great honour when so many of my colleagues are equally deserving of such recognition. â€Å“Itâ€â„¢s also a testament to the Letterfrack students. We are very fortunate that our students are so interested and focused, with a great appetite for learning. It is genuinely rewarding to work with such students and assist in their learning and growth, â€Â says Dr Tobin. â€Â¢ Pictured at the GMIT Fellowships event on Friday: GMIT President Michael Carmody, Ita Tobin (mother of Dr Tobin), GMIT Registrar Michael Hannon, Meadhbh Tobin, President of Ireland Michael D Higgins, Dr Paddy Tobin (award recipient), and his children Dara, Oisín, Diarmad and Síomha (front). Photo: Mike Shaughnessy [/private]